According to a recent survey conducted by Wedding Wire, one-third of dog owners include their four-legged companions in their big day. And another survey also shows that one-third of dog owners want their dog involved in their Wedding. These people can't be wrong because there is nothing sweeter than having your entire family there to celebrate your most important day. Many dog owners consider themselves and their dogs as a package deal when it comes to saying "I do!"
According to the Wedding Wire survey, 68 percent of pet people want to marry someone who owns or plans to own a pet. And once a dog lover finds a pet lover to spend the rest of his/her life with, they often find ways to incorporate their furry friend into the big day. Furthermore, of those surveyed, 76% believe that having dogs involved in a wedding would draw positive reactions from guests. In addition, virtually 100% of pet owners (93%) believe dogs should be present at weddings because they are part of the family.
One-third of people who included their dogs in their Wedding said they had their pets act as ring bearers, flower girls, best men, page boys, and official witnesses. If you're a dog owner with your big day on the horizon, the following photos will inspire you to have your furry friend witness your nuptials.
1. Dog Rocky plays a central role at his owner’s wedding
A Virginia couple, Sophia Coleman and Josh Makela, got their 13-year-old Pomeranian-mix dog, Rocky, his own suit, tie and handkerchief to be best man at their wedding. The couple, both 32, had Rocky deliver their rings on their big day. According to The Post, Rocky was the star of the show and got guests laughing as he made his way up the aisle.
2. Dog photobombs her owners’ wedding picture
Back in July 2022, a Canadian couple, Callie and Travis Jones got married in a glorious ceremony that included their pet dog Luna. After capturing photo-worthy moments of the couple's wedding, Luna's funny grin caught the eye of Sarah Pukin, the wedding photographer, when she was looking through the family photos. One particular photo shows 8-year-old Luna with a human-like grin on her face. Sarah couldn't help but appreciate the fact that the dog did a really good job posing for the photo and her smile was perfect. The couple had a good laugh when they saw the hilarious photo, according to Bored Panda.
3. Labrador Retriever crashes owners’ wedding ceremony
In July 2022, a Labrador Retriever named Colonel crashed his owners’ wedding ceremony by jumping up on the bride’s dress and knocking over the microphone in the middle of the vows. The Rhode Island couple, Kate and Drew Gunio included Fido in their wedding, which took place in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, United States. However, Fido surprised his owners by racing down the aisle and attempting to jump on the bride’s dress. The couple told CNN they’re so obsessed with Colonel that they couldn't tie the knot without him being present. In turn, Colonel was so excited that he decided to knock over the microphone set up for the vows. Nevertheless, the dog was allowed to stay until he began to jump up on the bride’s dress. At this point, the couple realized that it was time for Colonel to go.
4. Dog Ditches Wedding Photo Shoot to Go Swimming in Lake
A wedding video went viral on social media, in which a dog is seen making a run for a nearby lake during his owner's wedding ceremony. The dog named Jax makes a dash for the lake just seconds after the happy couple tries to have him pose with the wedding party for a few pictures. However, Jax, as the video shows, has another plan, which forced one of the groomsmen to give chase.
5. Stray Dog gets adopted by the couple whose wedding he crashed
Wedding crashers are typically considered naysayers. However, that wasn't the case for one stray dog at the wedding ceremony of Muzini and Douglas Vieira Robert. The friendly stray dog invited himself to the couple's wedding at a church in Brazil.
The sweet pooch sat at the entrance, greeting the guests until the end of the wedding. According to My Modern Met, the dog waited until the newlyweds exited the church and then tried to greet them. That's when the bride decided to adopt him as soon as possible.
Soon after the wedding, the couple couldn't get the adorable pup out of their minds. They searched for him the following day but couldn't find him. The couple went as far as posting pictures and videos of the uninvited guest on social media, asking if anyone had seen him. A few hours later, an Instagram user responded with the dog's whereabouts. The couple subsequently went there to pick him up. After taking him to the vet, the couple brought the dog home and named him Braiá Caramelo de Jesus.
6. Dog appears as Best Man at his owners' wedding
In January 2022, a dog-loving groom chose his 3-year-old mastiff and Staffordshire bull terrier mix dog to be the best man at his wedding. Shane and Amanda Hudson got married in Oakland County, Michigan, with their adorable pup named Weller by their side. Shane told the Daily Mail that he wanted to make Weller a ring bearer but ultimately ended up making him the "Best Boy."
7. Dog takes a snooze on bride’s train during vows
While a Washington State couple were exchanging vows during their wedding, their beloved pup Hank the Shar Pei was inadvertently having a little rest on his owner's bridal train. The couple, Michael and Amanda Michael Schwartz, of Kittitas County, Washington State, said they thought their two-year-old dog Hank would be roaming freely throughout the wedding. However, the pup made himself comfortable in the comfiest-looking spot.
8. Dog acts as best man at his owners' wedding
A Rottweiler dog named Jack acted as an official witness at his owners’ wedding and it was an adorable moment. According to STV, the groom met his wife-to-be at an animal rescue center. Jack wore a mini tuxedo, sat quietly and behaved well throughout the ceremony. His owners approved his good behavior by giving him thumbs-up gestures.
9. Dog, 15, lived just long enough to see his owner get married, despite battling a brain tumor
Kelly O'Connell was 19 when she met Charlie Bear, a black lab mix, as a 12-week-old puppy at the animal shelter where she was working. The puppy was brought to the shelter after he was found abandoned in a shopping cart outside a grocery store. When O'Connell saw him, it was love at first sight. O'Connell decided to take the puppy home even though she wasn’t looking for a dog at the time.
O'Connell and her best friend grew up together and moved to Colorado from New York. Eventually, O'Connell met and fell in love with James Garvin, a fellow veterinarian. James had two sons from another marriage. O'Connell and Charlie moved in with them and they all became one big happy family.
Unfortunately, Charlie was diagnosed with a brain tumor and began having seizures one week before the wedding. When O'Connell and James made arrangements for Charlie to be euthanized, the dog stopped having seizures. O'Connell told Buzzfeed News at the time that Charlie had no trouble walking and seemed like a whole new dog during the week leading up to her wedding. Furthermore, O'Connell thought Charlie might be well enough to attend the wedding.
Fortunately, Charlie was by the side of O'Connell and Garvin when they couple tied the knot on Sept. 1, 2016. O'Connell promptly teared up when Charlie walked down the aisle to her. At this point, the happy couple couldn't help but kept shouting, 'You made it, buddy, you made it.'
Charlie was exhausted and couldn't walk back. So O'Connell's sister, Katie Lloyd, carried the 80-pound dog back in her arms. Guests began to weep after Charlie was carried. The dog was apparently holding on in his final days for O'Connell, who said she could "see it in his eyes." Charlie was happily having the time of his life while his body was falling him. He was euthanized a little over a week later on Sept. 9.
10. Golden Retriever acts as a ring bearer at his owners' wedding
An adorable Golden Retriever dog named Nico couldn't have been happier to take part in his owners' wedding. Morwenna Negus and Macaulayas tied the knot in April 2022 in Cornwall, England, with their beloved dog apparently smiling non-stop by their side. Nico stole the show when performing his role as ring bearer during the ceremony.
Your Dog Can Act as Your Official Wedding Witness
For most engaged dog-loving couples, including their dogs in their big day is one of the best parts of wedding planning. Depending on where in the United State you live, you can have your dog act as your wedding witness. In many American states, only one or no witness is required by the government, which means there's room for dogs to play the most important roles.
There are 30 states in the U.S. where your furry friend can act as your wedding witness. That includes Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Eight U.S. states that allow your pup to act as your wedding officiant include Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C.
